first time laptop buyer

to start off i am not a computer geek, and i know nothing about them. which is why i am asking if anyone has owned, or knows someone who owns, a Dell Inspiron 1000 notebook. It's the probably the lowest grade model (as its the cheapest) but i just need it for school next year where i'll use it for email, internet research, word, maybe excel and powerpoint. very basic. i don't even download that much music. but yes, for a basic, english-major student laptop, does it run well/easy to maintain? if not, any suggestions for under 1,000? thanks.

 

my only suggestion would be to make sure you have 384 to 512MB RAM minimum. You can deal with XP HOME but XP PRO would be better. Don't forget if you're going to do word processing and stuff, you'll need an office suite. You'll probably only need the MS OFFICE 2003 basic or you can even opt for a free office suite from OpenOffice. ( http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3461 )

 

Most Universities have 802.11 wireless networks now days. So a built in card would be a plus. I would not even mess with XP Home XP Pro is worth the money. We have had trouble on some notebooks with XP Home and wireless. I agree with need lots of ram. We have Dell Laptops (Inspirons and latitudes) for our students to check out for 3 hour increments. We have had great luck with them and Dell hasn't hasseled us on repairs at all. Battery life over time is a drag. I would make sure that the keyboard is COMFORTABLE!! If you are doing much typing on a laptop you will notice. Also, some Universities may have inexpensive software that you could install. I use Open office some and it works well plus it is compatable with MS Office products. Am I rambling? Good luck.

 

I personally recommend Windows 2000. I despise windows XP due to it's uncanny nature to mess up. and sluggish response. but that's just me. If at all possible, I would look into getting an AMD laptop. AMD laptops are, on average, 17% faster than the average Intel. They are even more effective for your application. I too have been looking into a laptop for school. I recommend the Compaq 3000Z for you. you can find it at www.compaq.com. I would suggest upgradeing the warrenty to the three year and springing for the extra 12-cell battery. Definitely get the 802.11G wireless card. I also would recommend that you consider upgradeing the processor all the way. It may cost a little more, but you will find that you will be happier with the lifespan of your laptop. Ram isn't as important for the applications that you are using them for, since the applications you described are not hugely ram intensive. about 256 meg should be fine. I think you will find that this will be about in your price range.